Mar 10 2017
InvenSense, Inc., a leading provider of MEMS sensor platforms, and GLOBALFOUNDRIES, a leading provider of advanced semiconductor manufacturing technology, today announced their collaboration on an ultrasonic fingerprint imaging technology for InvenSense UltraPrint™ Ultrasound Fingerprint Touch Sensor Solution. InvenSense and GF are enabling, for the first time, commercial manufacturing of aluminum nitride-based piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers (pMUT). As a result of the close technological collaboration between InvenSense and GF, InvenSense’s CMOS-MEMS Platform can now be extended to pMUT devices and enable a biometric authentication solution for mobile and IoT products.
Mobile OEMs are looking for highly durable, button-free solutions that require fingerprint sensors to be placed behind the cover glass or under metal on the back of phone. Capacitive sensors, incapable of sensing through metal, can only sense through roughly 0.3mm of glass which creates durability concerns. InvenSense’s UltraPrint technology enables the use of thicker glass or metal materials without compromising biometric authentication performance. Moreover, the technology enhances fingerprint imaging, enabling the reader to scan even when the user’s skin contains common contaminants such as oils, lotion, or perspiration. These critical factors combined with GF's aluminum-nitride-based manufacturing technology ensure consistent quality for higher-performance devices and can be extended to a secure identification for smartphones, home automation, payment or health-related interactions with wearables.
“We are pleased to have collaborated closely with GF on the proprietary InvenSense CMOS-MEMS platform (ICMP),” said Mo Maghsoudnia, vice president of technology and worldwide manufacturing at InvenSense. “This close technology collaboration has enabled us to advance the manufacturing of ultrasonic imaging technology, resulting in production of our fingerprint authentication solution for a myriad of applications. We look forward to expanding our collaboration into multiple pMUT devices and the delivery of best-in-class products to our customers.”
“InvenSense’s entry into pMUT provides testimony to our differentiated capabilities on aluminum nitride-based piezoelectric MEMS fabrication technology,” said Gregg Bartlett, senior vice president, CMOS Business Unit of GF. “This is particularly notable as we broaden the relationship to now include InvenSense’s ultrasonic fingerprint and other process technologies.”
For additional information about InvenSense’s UltraPrint Ultrasonic Fingerprint authentication solution, please contact InvenSense Marketing at [email protected].